MINNEAPOLIS — General Mills, Inc. on Aug. 20 announced several leadership changes, including retirement announcements and reorganizations in finance, the company’s pet and Europe and Australia segments.

After 21 years with the company including 12 years as chief financial officer, Don Mulligan is slated to retire on June 1, 2020. He will be succeeded by Kofi Bruce, current vice president and controller for company planning and analysis, on Feb. 1, 2020.

As part of the transition process, Mulligan will shift to an advisory capacity starting Feb. 1, 2020 and stay on until his retirement in June 2020. Bruce will step in as vice president of financial operations starting Sept. 1, 2019. 

“Don has been an incredible asset to General Mills for more than 20 years. During his tenure as CFO, General Mills generated a 185% increase in value to our shareholders,” said Jeff Harmening, chairman and CEO of the company. “Don was instrumental in this performance by helping craft plans that balanced long-term growth and profitability and initiatives that actively transformed our portfolio to be more global and more growth-facing.”

Bruce joined General Mills in 2009 with 10 years of finance and leadership experience at various other companies, including Ford Motor Company and Ecolab.

Billy Bishop, group president of General Mills’ pet segment and co-founder of the Blue Buffalo brand, will take the title of founder and brand advisor for the pet segment starting Jan. 1, 2020. In his new role, he will take a step back from day-to-day management and provide more long-term oriented counsel on brand strategy and product innovation.

“The Bishops will always be a part of the Blue Buffalo family,” said Harmening. “Since they started Blue Buffalo in 2002, they have worked tirelessly to support the mission of BLUE. We are happy that they will continue to serve the Herd and all the Buffs in this new capacity, allowing them time together as a family as well.”

Stepping into the role of group president of the pet segment is Bethany Quam, previously group president for General Mills’ Europe and Australia segment. Quam has been with the company since 1993 and will assume her new role Oct. 1, 2019.

Dana McNabb, current president of US cereal for General Mills, will take Quam’s position as group president of the Europe and Australia segment starting Jan. 1, 2020. McNabb has worked at General Mills for 20 years in various marketing leadership categories.

“I’m proud of the depth and diversity of General Mills’ leadership talent, which is reflected in the quality of the people transitioning to and from our senior leadership team,” Harmening added. “To ensure that we continue to execute well and to deliver on our commitments to improve sales growth and strong profitability, we have been intentional in the timing of our transitions.”

Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.